Wheel for vehicles.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1908. J. DE VERE & J. WHITEHEAD.

WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

LED JULY 5,19

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fizz-'6 M 2 0713 (70 20.36 Were UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DE VERE, OF BLACKBURN, AND JOSEPH WHITEHEAD, OF CLITHEROE, ENGLAND.

WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

Application filed July 5, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN DE VERE and Josnrn l/VHITEHEAD, sub ects ofthe King of Great Britain, residents, respectlvely, of 29 CromwellTerrace, Blackburn, England, and

29 Castle View, Clitheroe, England, have in-' vented certain new anduseful Improvements in or Relating to the Construction of Wheels forVehicles, MotorCars, and the Like, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention appertains to wheels for vehicles.

One form of embodiment of said invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, referring to which,

Figure l is a perspective view of a fastening plate. Fig. 2 is a similarview of a sleeve. Fig. 3 is a like view of said plate and sleeve incooperative relation, a portion of the spoke also appearing in saidfigure. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the central portion of the wheelwithout the two disks thereon.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the axle and the disks, showing also a boltfor connecting said disks.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

The invention is designed chiefly to provide means for detachablysecuring the spokes to the rims or fellies without the usual tenonjoints, and without weakening to any appreciable extent the spokes, orthe material of which the fellies or rim are com osed.

lVhile permitting of quick detachability for the renew-al'or replacementof parts in case of damage, our invention insures a perfectly rigid andsafe oint to be made.

To enable the liberation of a spoke from the hub prior to its removalfrom the wheel, we employ a hub in the form of a metal tube, and havingan inte ral flange or disk on one side, and on the other a loose flangeor disk provided with a central hole large enough to enable it to beslipped over the tubular por tion of the hub. Into the space between thefixed and loose disks are inserted the ends of the spokes. These endsare formed with shoulders cut to the segment of a circle, so that whenthe shoulders are introduced into the space between the fixed and loosedisks, they will form a solid circular series, and may then be clampedtogether by bolts passed through holes in the respective faces of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Serial No. 382,344.

disks, and having nuts tightened on their extremities. Or, the loosedisk may be screwed on the tube, and fixed to the spokes by screws.

The above method forms a good and ready means of detachably fixing thespokes to the hub, although any other usual or approved method may beadopted. Any ordinary axle-box, oil cup and fittings to take up orrelieve wear incidental to the revolving of the wheel on the arm of theaxle may be adopted, and the wheel may be prevented from leaving thelatter by means of a collar, linch-pin, axle-nut, or the like in anyordinary or suitable manner.

Briefly and broadly speaking, our invention may be stated to compriseattachments in the shape of brackets or projections fixed to the innerface of the rim or fellies at re quired intervals around it for thespokes, and

projecting therefrom towards the axis of the wheel in combination with aloose or movable sleeve arranged to slide on the end of the spoke, sothat when the end of the latter is brought into position opposite thesaid projection or projections, the said sleeve may be passed over thesaid projection or projections and the end of the spoke respectively,thereby firmly securing and locking the spoke to the rim. The sleeve isthen retained in position by a screw, pin, bolt, or the like. The aboveforms a perfectly rigid and secure method of attachment free from anyobjections attendant upon other methods that have been previouslyadopted or tried for a like purpose. Two of such brackets or projectionsare preferably employed for the attachment of each spoke, and are Lshaped and set at such a distance apart from each other, as to permit ofthe passage sidewise of the end of the spoke into the intervening spacebetween their projecting members. The limbs of the bracket adja cent tothe inner face of the rim are riveted or fixed by screws to it or to thefellies.

The end of the spoke and the loose mov able sleeve are formed square, soas toenable a spoke to be introduced or removed from the side and toalso provide for the non rotative fit of said sleeve around projectionson the plate or body of the device. When the end of the spoke has beengot into position, the loose movable sleeve (already on'the spoke) isslip ed over the brackets, so as to lock the en of the spoke betweenthem.

The sleeve is then retained in position by a small screw driven throughit into the end of the spoke.

In the application of our invention, one of the following methods may beadopted:

First, the brackets for fixing the spokes may be secured directly to ahollow rim having the usual side grooves for fixing a solid, cushion orpneumatic tire. This construction will be very useful for application tomotor-cars and light carriages, where speed, durability and resiliency,combined with lightness and strength, are essential requirements.

Secondly, the brackets may be secured in the manner described to aninner rim having a channel, square in cross-section, to receive theusual wood fellies, which may be secured thereto by screws passedthrough the outer edges or sides of the channel, and upon which may befixed a plain metal rim, or a hollow rim may be fixed and fitted with asolid cushion or pneumatic tire.

Thirdly, the brackets may be secured di' rectly to the fellies by screwsdriven through the brackets into the bottom of the fellies, and an outerrim of any suitable construction may be employed as described, andfurnished with a tire or otherwise.

Instead of employing a pair of loose angular L shaped brackets asheretofore described, we may employ a plate formed with a pair ofvertical ribs or projections, between which the end of the spoke isbrought prior to the sleeve being slipped over them.

The method of attachment is represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of theannexed drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows such a plate A cast with a pairof vertical ribs or projections B B. The said plate is curved to conformto the circumference of the under face of the rim, and is provided withholes C, through which, screws nails or rivets may be driven into theunderface of the rim or felly, thereby securely fixing the same thereto.formed with side flanges to embrace the sides of the rim, if desired,thereby preventing any side play when the plates have been fixed inposition. The number of such plates corresponds to the number of thespokes it is desired to fit to the wheel. The end of the spoke A fitsinto the spacebetween the projections B B. The loose sleeve E is mountedloosely on the spoke, and when the end of the The plate may be latterhas been got into position between the projections B B, the loose sleeveis brought over the latter as represented in Fig. 3, thereby firmlyattaching the spoke to the rim. The edge E of the sleeve overlaps theedge of the plate. l/Vhen the sleeve has been got into position, it isretained by a small screw driven through the hole F into the side of thespoke. The other ends of the spoke may be secured to the hub of thewheel in any suitable or approved manner, so long as provision is madefor their quick removal, and the hub may likewise be of any desiredtype.

As seen in Fig. 4, the opposite ends of the spokes are formed withshoulders G cut to the segment of a circle, so that when they are placedaround the tubular portion H of the hub, they will present a solidstructure as shown. The hub is provided with a fixed disk or face plateJ and a similar but loose disk or face plate J, which is brought againstthe solid structure formed by the ends of the spokes when fitted inplace as shown in Fig. 4, and is then secured bybolts K passed throughholes in the disks and through the solid ends of the spokes, the partsbeing thus clamped together by nuts tightened on the extremities of thebolts.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention,

and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what weclaim is 1; The combination of a longitudinally curved perforated platehaving two parallel transversely extending projections, a spoke fittedbetween said projections, and a nonrotative sleeve inclosing theprojections and also bridging the spaces between the ends of saidprojections.

2. The combination of a plate having two parallel transversely extendingprojections, a spoke having a square portion fitted between saidprojections, and a square sleeve inclosing the projections and bridgingthe spaces between the ends of the same.

In testimony whereof we'have hereunto set our hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOHN DE VERE. JOSEPH WHITEHEAD.

Witnesses:

ERNALD SIMPsoN MosELEY, MALooLM SMETHURST.

